Father Figure
by RiotRunner
Summary: Mild AU/Oneshot- Percy Jackson took care of Bianca and Nico di Angelo for some time. They were powerful demigods, much like he, but they needed a father more then anything. One night, Percy is visited by Maria di Angelo and learns a few things about the relationship between the kids and himself. FamilyBonding


Disclaimer: I definitely don't own Percy Jackson.

_Okay guys! What's up? This is an AU one-shot featuring Percy, Nico andddd... Bianca! WHAT?!_

_Yes, Bianca. Explanation here:  
_

_Major AU. First, Bianca and Nico are young. Like, I don't know HOW young, but they're really young. Older then 6 but younger then like, 13. Sorry, I don't know ages very well. Percy, however, is 15. This doesn't really take place between any books, but you'll see why it's AU. So, disregard Bianca's death and Nico's new attitude and just focus on the familyness. Good.  
_

_Family between Bianca/Nico/Percy  
_

_NO FLAMES._

* * *

**Percy  
**

"Bed. Now."

"Percy, c'mon! It's barely 11 o'clock!"

"No buts, it's bedtime, I'm serious. We've got to cross the Appalachian Mountains tomorrow; you'll need to be well rested."

"Percyyyyy!"

Percy, the one being loudly protested against, pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

"I'm going to say this once more; bed."

The two children grumbled to themselves, but reluctantly shuffled toward their sleeping bags. Percy ignored the mumbles that emitted from Nico di Angelo, and instead, prodded the fire with Riptide. It wasn't the best use for the Celestial Bronze sword, but it was _a _use.

"Tuck in?" Nico asked quietly. Percy peeked over his shoulder. He took note of Nico who was already in his pajamas and snuggling into his sleeping bag. It was a black bag with a skull pillow. He'd chosen it specifically because it reminded him of the small glimpse of the Underworld he'd seen and also how he was the child of Hades.

Both he and his sister, Bianca di Angelo, were children of Hades.

"In a moment," Percy said with a ghost of a smile. He couldn't help but feel a bit parental around the two children- even if they weren't so young anymore. Both Nico and Bianca were nearing another birthday. They weren't teens yet, but it was getting to the point where they were less dependent on him for things.

That didn't stop them from being very young at times, though.

Percy tossed a small stick into the fire, watching the yellow-orange flames engulf the wood. He wasn't a pyro, but he loved the smell of a campfire, and he also loved the power and life of fire. It reminded him so much of the ocean- his second home. Fire was untamable, free and unable to be truly controlled. Just like the ocean, it could be vast and beautiful, yet striking and violent too.

They were almost identical.

"Before I fall asleep?" Came the voice of Bianca. Her voice was tinged with sleep. Percy smiled toward the flames and stood up, walking over to where the twins were resting. Kneeling down, Percy adjusted Nico's pillow and zipped up the side of his sleeping bag. It was getting chillier out, so warmth was essential in survival. He ruffled Nico's hair and smiled down at him.

"Night Nico," Percy said softly. Nico, since being found, preferred not to be kissed on the top of the head unless he was in an extreme emotional state.

"G'Night Percy," Nico mumbled, already quickly falling to sleep. Percy smiled down at him and stood up. To his left was Bianca, a space in between the twins so they didn't accidentally roll or hit another in their sleep. Demigod dreams would often keep one on edge; even in the vast world of sleep.

He knelt down next to Bianca and brushed a strand of her brown hair away from her eyes. It was strewned across her face, being brought down from the braids she had it up in. Even without the cleansing of a shower, Percy was surprised to find her hair still had a silky feel to it. When he brushed the hair out of her face, she lightly opened her brown eyes.

"Mmm... good night Percy." Her voice came soft and sleep-filled, as if she was only speaking from her world of dreams. He wouldn't have known she was awake if not for the light twinkle in her eyes.

He smiled warmly at her and kissed her forehead. "Sweet dreams, Bianca."

She snuggled into her plain gray pillow as Percy zipped up the side of her sleeping bag.

He used to be worried that monsters would come attack them and the two would be in danger since they wouldn't be able to escape their 'beds', but he'd long since learned that they _could _break free and if they needed, they could even summon skeleton warriors in defense until they were able to awaken fully.

Standing up and brushing any dirt off his clothes, Percy walked back over to the dimmed fire and took a seat next to it. He ignored the light August breeze and rubbed his hands together for friction. The heat that emitted from his palms was enough to keep the shivers away for the time being.

Slowly, though, Percy felt fatigue wear down on his body and eyelids. Leaning back, Percy settled into the dirt, not minding his surroundings and lack of a sleeping bag. He was an outdoors kind of man and he didn't need pampering to feel good. He only needed life and he'd be just fine.

As the leaves rustled under Percy's weight, he felt his eyelids closing and the warmth of the fire fading. Once the darkness came over his sight, he knew he was going to be having some different dreams.

He just didn't know if they were good or bad.

* * *

The first thing Percy noticed was the prairie and the lush flowers that grew.

_Defintely a habitat of Demeter._ He thought, catching the scent of a rose. Even though he wasn't one to smell flowers, he couldn't help but admit the place smelled quite nice. He began to walk forward, trying to figure out the point of the dream.

"Perseus?"

Percy paused and spun on his heels. Who he found was not who he expected. Behind him...

Was no one.

"Hello?" Percy called, cupping his hands around his mouth to enhance the volume of his call. His voice rolled over the landscape, but it didn't bring anyone out of hiding.

"Huh... I could've swore I heard someone..." Percy mumbled to himself, scanning the grasslands. He spotted a variety of flowers but none of them looked as if they could speak.

"Perseus Jackson?" The voice came again, drawing nearer. Percy felt his pockets, hoping to feel Riptide, but forgot it was a dream. Weapons would be useless.

He began to wonder frantically if one died in a Demi-dream, if they died for real.

"Who's there?" Percy called, dropping into a fighting stance. He had no idea what he could do in this world, but he knew he'd possibly have to find out. He slowly moved forward, trying to avoid being caught in a possible ambush. He felt his nerves working and his mind racing.

Percy froze in place as he heard the sound of dirt being disturbed. Peeking to his right, Percy saw a woman sitting on the ground, lightly holding a flower to her nose. She had flowing brown hair that looked chocolate colored. Her skin was mildly pale, but it was more a wispy white than a ghostly white. Her eyes were closed as she inhaled the scent of the small daisy.

"Um... hello?" Percy asked hesitantly. He wasn't sure if it was in his best interest to ask the lady smelling flowers, but unless she grew tentacles and began to breath fire, he assumed it was safe.

Then again, weirder things _had _happened to him.

When she didn't respond, Percy tried again. "Hello? Who're you?"

The woman didn't give any notion that she'd heard him. She just continued to smell the flower in her hand and smiled. Percy looked around, being sure that there was absolutely no one else to talk to, before he sighed and tried once more.

"Hi... I'm Percy."

This seemed to draw her attention. She didn't look at Percy, but instead, set the flower back into the ground. "I know exactly who you are."

Her tone was smooth and soft, yet it sent a shiver down Percy's spine. For a split second, he worried she might have been a monster in disguise.

"You do?"

She nodded and a ghost of a smile played on her lips. "Yes; Perseus Jackson."

Without a warning, she stood up. But what she did next shocked Percy to his core.

She wrapped her arms around him. He stood at a large 6 foot, and she only rose to about 5 foot 5 inches. To say she didn't quite reach his head was about right, yet, she didn't mind. She just hugged him like he was her son. The warmth she exhibited was nice, yet her skin was cold. Cold like she was sitting in a fridge and just got out.

It was a polar opposite to what he expected.

"You're the man who saved my children," she said with a large smile. Her lips were in a gratified smile, yet her eyes shone with the utmost of thankfulness. In the pools of brown, Percy couldn't help but feel the gratitude she was emitting. It made him feel... fuzzy.

"Excuse me?"

She lightly ran a finger down his cheek. "You saved my son and daughter."

In that instance, it occurred to Percy who this woman was.

"Mrs. di Angelo," Percy said, his eyes going wide. He felt a bit odd and out of place, since usually, he didn't have the best encounters with other parents of the Big Three. Or in general. Only Annabeth's parents were a good encounter; and they met under bad circumstances.

She nodded, a few tears welling in her eyes. Percy stood, shocked. He didn't know what to say- if there was anything he _could _say.

"I wanted to thank you; properly," Mrs. di Angelo said kindly. "You're practically raising my children, and I can't tell you how much that means to me."

Percy felt a blush cover his cheeks, yet he did his best to suppress it. He waved off her thanks like it was nothing.

"Oh, you know, it's just another day in my life." He acted like it was a common thing for him to help. He didn't know why, but he could immediately tell how guilty she was feeling for the sense that she'd done something wrong. Like her death was something she should have prevented.

She shook her head, though, and continued. "You've taught Nico so much, and you've been the fatherly figure for Bianca. For _both _of them. Lord Hades... he tries so hard to help, but the Ancient Laws prohibit him from interfering or even contacting them. He may not seem like he, but he does care about them."

Percy thought for a second, about the Lord of the Dead. His encounters with Lord Hades had been... less than ideal. The first time they met, his Uncle tried to kill him. He did, however, suspect Percy to have stolen the Helm of Darkness. So it wasn't _completely _one-sided.

Then he thought about his own dad. Lord Poseidon. He was always considered the most irritable of the gods, and the least caring. What had changed upon Percy's birth? What made him, Lord Poseidon, god of the seas, change into a more tempered and mature god and suddenly care for his child- even if it was very indirect and rare.

If his own dad cared for him, it wasn't out of the question that Hades would care about Nico and Bianca. In fact, he _did _try and save them by locking them away in the Hotel Lotus and Casino. That was quite the decision on his part; right?

"I can understand he does; you both do. I just wanted to give them something back. I just want to be there for them," Percy said, starting slow. He, at first, didn't know why he bothered. It wasn't like he disliked kids, but he certainly didn't go out of his way for them either. But when he met Nico and Bianca, he couldn't help but intervene.

And so far, it appeared it was in good reason.

"They're blessed to have someone like you," Maria di Angelo said with a sweet smile. Her essence flickered. Her face began to lose it's smile.

"I have to go... please... watch over them. Be that father for them. They need it."

Percy nodded, his throat closing up. He didn't know why, but he lost the ability to talk as emotions flowed through him like water through a pipe.

"Thank you, Perseus. Good-bye."

Without another word, Maria di Angelo faded and Percy's dream went black.

* * *

"Percy?"

Percy felt his eyes rebel against his demands to open. Slowly, his eyelids forced themselves open to reveal Nico looking a bit worried. Immediately, a worried sensation filled Percy's veins and woke him up like he'd been injected with coffee.

"Yes?" He said automatically, the words imprinted onto his brain. Nico shifted uncomfortable, standing in his sleeping bag. A cold breeze blew, causing the young boy to shiver.

"It's... it's kinda cold; can we sleep with you?"

Percy, not the dense one all the time, picked up on the 'we'. He smiled to himself; Bianca was also in on this, she just didn't want to get up/wake him up. Smart play by the young girl.

"Of course; c'mon. We'll just put the sleeping bags together," Percy said softly with a smile. Nico grinned and hopped over to where Bianca laid peacefully. Percy laughed as Nico jumped to the ground with an audible 'oof!'. Percy settled between them, feeling immediate warmth as he entered the small 'bed'. He laid his head down, half on each pillow, and let out a content sigh.

"Try and get some sleep guys, okay?"

Nico, however, was already fast asleep, using Percy's arm as a teddy-bear of sorts. Bianca, on the other hand, laid her head against Percy's chest. She clung to his side tightly, sighing happily as she found herself a new pillow.

"Night-night dad," she mumbled, completely covered by sleep.

Percy couldn't help but smile, despite his level of alertness. He didn't bother to correct her, because she could think what she wanted.

He was there, for both of them.


End file.
